Label application devices

Abstract

Label application devices and methods of printing and applying labels are described herein. One label application device can comprise a feed component configured to deliver a sheet of label material to a position, a product identification component configured to identify a type of a product that is approaching the position, a printing component configured to print data onto the sheet of label material, the data based on the identified type of product, a stripping component configured to remove a liner portion of the sheet of label material from a label portion of the sheet, and an applicator component configured to apply the label portion to the product.

What is claimed:  
     
       1. A method of printing and applying labels, comprising:
 identifying a product at a first position; 
 feeding a sheet of label material from a roll of label material to a second position in response to the identified product at the first position; 
 printing data onto a label portion of the roll of label material at the second position; 
 cutting the label portion of the roll of label material with the printed data to form a sheet; 
 removing a liner portion of the sheet from the label portion of the sheet using a conveyor belt to move a stripping arm of a stripping component in a direction to strip the liner portion from the label portion; and 
 applying the label portion to the product. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the product at the first position includes scanning a product identification label on the product. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , including retrieving the data to print onto the label portion from a database. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , including applying vacuum pressure, using an applicator component, to the label portion of the sheet to remove the liner portion of the sheet from the label portion of the sheet. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , including gripping a portion of the sheet of label material using the stripping arm. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , printing data onto a plurality of label portions and applying the label portions to a plurality of products in a 1:1 manner. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , including gripping an edge of the liner portion to remove the liner portion from the label portion using the stripping component. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , include holding the label portion using an applicator portion as the stripping component removes the liner portion from the label portion. 
     
     
       9. A method of printing and applying labels, comprising:
 identifying a product at a first position; 
 feeding a sheet of label material to a second position in response to the identified product at the first position; 
 printing data onto a label portion of the sheet of label material at the second position; 
 gripping a portion of the sheet of label material using a stripping arm; 
 moving the stripping arm in a direction using a conveyor belt, wherein the stripping arm is coupled to the conveyor belt and strips the liner portion from the label portion; and 
 applying the label portion to the product. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , including applying no tension to the liner portion of the label material during the stripping of the liner portion from the label portion. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet of label material includes a pre-cut sheet and the method includes storing a plurality of pre-cut sheets of label material. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein feeding the sheet of label material to the second position includes delivering the pre-cut sheet of label material along a feedpath. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , including cutting a roll of label material into a plurality of sheets of label material. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , including identifying a product type of the product at the first position. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet of label material is a partially pre-printed sheet type and the method includes:
 storing a plurality of partially pre-printed sheet types, wherein each of the partially pre-printed sheet types is associated with a product type; and 
 delivering the sheet of label material of the partially pre-printed sheet type based on an association between the sheet type and the identified product type of the product at the first position. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , modifying the data to print onto the label portion of the label material based on the identified product type of the product. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 9 , including moving the label portion of the sheet of label material above the stripping arm. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 9 , including moving the stripping arm in a horizontal direction to strip the liner portion from the label portion using the conveyor belt.